STAJAN NAMED MASTERTON TROPHY NOMINEE

The Calgary chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association (PHWA) have named Matt Stajan as the Flames' nominee for the 2018 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy.
The annual award is given to an NHL player who "best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."
The winner will be selected by a poll of PHWA members, with the top three earning nominations at the 2018 NHL Awards.
"It's always an honour when you get nominated for any award. When it's the Masterton and what that one entails, it means a lot," Stajan said.
"You just try to go about your day-to-day business at the rink and away from the rink and be the best person you can be, work as hard as you can."

The trophy was first presented by the NHL Writers' Association in 1968 to commemorate the late William Masterton, a player for the Minnesota North Stars who exhibited, to a high degree, the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey. Masterton died on Jan. 15, 1968 after an injury sustained during a hockey game.
A grant from the PHWA is awarded annually to the Bill Masterton Scholarship Fund, based in Bloomington, Minn., in the name of the Masterton Trophy winner. Two Flames have won the trophy, Lanny McDonald in 1983 and Gary Roberts in 1996.
Stajan is in the midst of his 14th season in the league, splitting his time between Toronto and Calgary. Originally drafted by the Leafs in the second round (57th overall) of the 2002 NHL Draft, the centre played 445 games with Toronto before being traded to the Flames midway through the 2009-10 season.
Since then, he's played 556 games in Flames silks, scoring 59 goals and 189 points. This season, Stajan has 11 points through 66 games. He recently played his 1000th game and will be honoured by the Flames in a pre-game celebration on Mar. 29 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
In addition to being one of the Flames' leaders on the ice, Stajan has become one of the most active players in the community. He has dedicated himself to several causes in the city, including working with the Alberta Children's Hospital, the Ronald McDonald House, You Can Play, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at the Foothills Hospital.
The 34-year-old has also acted as the Flames' Hockey Is For Everyone ambassador for the past two years, helping the league and its efforts to grow the game.
Stajan has been honoured by the Flames for his dedication to the sport and his leadership, winning the Ralph T. Scurfield Humanitarian Award in 2013 and the J.R. Bud McCaig Award in 2014.